Kukla's Korner Hockey

San Jose Sharks center Joe Pavelski’s nifty scoring touch has helped him score nine goals in eight playoff games this season and yet his college coach doesn’t believe his hands are Pavelski’s greatest asset.

“It’s the ability he has between his ears,” Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves said. “He’s not the biggest, not the strongest, but he has the ability to think and anticipate, and know what he’s going to do before he gets to his puck.”

Now in his fourth NHL season, Pavelski has been the talk of the playoffs because of his Sidney Crosby-like offensive pace.

Accordingly, Tuesday’s third game is shaping up as the Battle Of the Sharks’ Joes (Big and Little) at the Joe – Detroit’s venerable Joe Louis Arena – and may the best Joe(s) win.

Thus far in the playoffs, Pavelski has been something of a revelation for the Sharks, who are on a five-game postseason win streak. In the opening round, Pavelski scored the last-minute tying goal in Game 2 against the Colorado Avalanche, the overtime winner in Game 4 and the series clincher in Game 6.

The frightening thing for San Jose fans should be that he’s the only one really scoring. What happens if/when he cools off?

Posted by Primis on 05/03/10 at 09:58 PM ET

Not cheering for either team (although i’d love a 3rd round of Wings and Penguins), but Setoguchi doesn’t need to keep this pace up, just enough till the other 3 get going…if he can even be average with Thornton, Heatley, and Marleau picking it up, i don’t see how the Wings can win 4 out of the next 5…